Make Your Own Glow-in-the-Dark Twister Game

Twister is a classic party game. Now imagine playing a glow-in-the-dark version of Twister.

How cool is that?! It is a great way to light up the night and to get a party wound up.

You can easily make your own glow-in-the-dark version with glow paint and a piece of fabric.

Creating the mat is not difficult and is totally worth the time and effort to have a fun and energetic party game that you can use over and over.

So grab a paint brush, stretch your limbs, and get ready to get Twisted!

Crafting the Game

Materials for Making the Game

flat sheet or piece of large material (white or black will look best)

4 different colors of glow in the dark paint

paintbrush

poster board or cardstock

brad (fastener)

paperclip

black light (optional but it will really make the paint glow brightly)

Making a Glowing Twister Game

Creating the Mat:

Find 4 colors of glow-in-the-dark paint. It is usually easy to find multiple shades of greens and yellows. But too many similar colors will make the game confusing. Try to find pinks, oranges, and blues to go alongside your yellow and green. Fluorescent paint typically glows under a black light as well. You can find glow paint at craft stores (like Micheal's) and some hardware stores. You can also order it online if you are having trouble finding enough glowing colors. It comes in acrylic form, and you can also find it in spray cans.

To start making the mat, draw circles on a sheet. The circles should be about 10-12 inches in diameter. Paper plates are about the right size and make a good stencil.

Trace the circles in rows as straight as possible. You want 4 columns with at least 6 rows. You can add more rows if your material is long enough. Put about 5 or 6 inches of space between the circles.

Paint the circles one color per column. Be careful that the paint doesn't smear. You may need more than one coat of paint per circle.

Creating the Game Spinner:

Create a game spinner using a piece of poster board. Draw 2 lines to divide the paper into fourths so that you have four squares. Then label the squares "Left Hand," "Left Foot," "Right Hand," and "Right Foot."

Draw a circle in the middle of the paper. Divide the circle so that there are four segments in each of the four boxes. These segments will represent the four game colors. Using the same paint colors as the mat, mark one segment with each of the colors for each limb box.

Basically, what you want for the game spinner is a mark for each of the 4 colors in each section of the four body parts.

Poke a hole in the center of the spinner board. Wrap a paper clip around a fastener (brad). Put the brad through the hole in the center and fold down the ends on the back side of the paper. Test the paper clip to make sure it will spin properly.

Before Playing the Game:

The paint may need to "charge" (absorb light) before it will glow properly. If you aren't using a black light, leave the game somewhere bright for a few hours before you are ready to play.

You will probably need to tape the edges of the mat down before beginning the game to keep the material from sliding as players move.

When you are ready to play, grab some friends and get Twisted up!

Click thumbnail to view full-size

Paint the circles with glow paint.

Use a paper plate to trace the circles.

Divide the poster board into fourths and then draw a circle in the middle.

Finished spinner board marked with all of the colors.

Alternate Game Creation Ideas

Paint Over an Official Mat: You can paint over an official Twister mat with glow-in-the-dark paint for an easier creation. Keep in mind that it may take a few coats of paint to stick to the mat material depending on what type of paint you have. You may also need to spray or paint a coat of clear primer over the mat before painting it with the flourescent paint.

Use Glow Necklaces: Glow necklaces that can be connected in a circle can also be used for a glowing Twister game. You will need at least 4 glow sticks in each of 4 different colors. They will need to be attached to the ground before play. Tape may work to hold them in place on most floors or the glow sticks can be taped on top of a regular Twister mat (see video below).

Right on the Ground: Glow paint can be painted directly onto the ground also. Glowing spray paint will work best for this. Spray circles onto grass or concrete. If you spray it somewhere other than grass, it will be permanent.

A Game of Glow-in-the-Dark Twister

Playing the Game

Playing Glow in the Dark Twister

You will need 3-5 players.

Set up the mat and get the spinner ready. Be sure to tape the mat down if needed and turn on black lights for a better glow.

Designate one person to be the spinner and caller.

It will work best if you have 2-4 people on the mat playing at once.

Have everyone get into starting position on the mat. Everyone should start with their feet on the same two colors.

The Spinner/Caller should spin to see the first move. He or she will call out the color and whether the players should move their left or right foot or hand.

You can play the game having all players move to the circle the spinner calls or doing separate calls for each player.

Players are eliminated if they fall or touch the mat with their knees or elbows.